


Raindrops

by JulesDontDraw (xoruik)



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Angst, Fluff, M/M, Rating May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-30
Updated: 2015-09-07
Packaged: 2018-04-07 00:17:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4242180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xoruik/pseuds/JulesDontDraw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[DROPPED]</p><p>There was always something soothing about the rain. There was something between the pitter patter of it when it hit the ground, and the ripples it tore into the puddles that the water gathered in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A word of warning, this fic is unfinished and will probably stay that way for the foreseeable future.

            There was always something soothing about the rain. There was something between the pitter patter of it when it hit the ground, and the ripples it tore into the puddles that the water gathered in. Something enchanting in the way the air smelled before and after the storm, the way the air became saturated with moisture. Maybe, most importantly, it was the way getting drenched felt so very freeing.

            Unfortunately, in the eyes of modern society, anyone over the age of six relishing the rain is considered very weird. Something about dancing in the rain, was ‘unruly’. Jumping in puddles and splashing the water around was ‘inconsiderate’ and ‘rude’. Hide knows this. He just, well, tends to get a bit carried away.

            So, after a long, tiring, day of work, Hide was very happy to see it was raining. And, one thing _may have_ led to another, and Hide _may have_ ended up dancing in the rain, spinning and circles and laughing like he was drunk. This _may have_ led to Hide slipping and falling, and that _may have_ ended with Hide landing ass first in a puddle of rainwater. This resulted in quite a sight: Hide completely soaked through, sitting on the sidewalk, laughing like a hyena.

            This however, _most definitely_ led to his current situation. Hide is met with another peculiar site. A black haired boy with an umbrella was standing over him. The boy was tripping over his words, possibly trying to ask if Hide needed help, whilst he was trying to shelter them both from the rain and simultaneously trying to hold out a hand to help Hide up.

            He has to admit, it’s pretty cute.

            “Um,” the boy speaks up, just barely audible over the downpour, “Are you okay?”

            Hide takes a moment before he chuckles. “Yeah.” He takes the boy’s hand and pulls himself up with a heave. “Thanks,” he says with a smile.

            He stutters again, “Ah, well…,” He gives Hide a quick once over, “you’re…,” he trails off.

            “Handsome?” Hide jokingly supplies.

            “What? No!” The boy quickly retorts, bringing his hand up to his chin and averting his gaze. Hide can’t help but notice a slight blush that dusts his ears.

            Hide laughs once more. “Aw man,” he runs a hand through his drenched hair. “What a bummer.” He takes a long, exaggerated sigh. “How am I gonna tell mom?”

            The boy looks slowly back in him with an expression that can most accurately be described as a pout. Hide decides that he finds this cute as well.

            After a short silence, Hide speaks. “I’m Nagachika Hideyoshi.” Another short pause, “But you can call me Hide.”

            “Um…,” the boy gives him a sheepish look, “My name is Kaneki Ken.”

            There is another awkward pause. Hide internally muses that this boy, Kaneki, is a something akin to an NPC character in a video game with no dialogue left. “So, kind stranger, how can I repay you?”

            Again, Kaneki looks away, “You don’t have to…,” he trails off, switching his gaze from right to left, “you don’t have to do anything.” He finishes off somewhat quietly.

            Hide quickly retorts happily, “What? Of course I do! You’re my knight in shining armor!”

And again, Kaneki is taken aback, “I, I, what?” He seemed speechless, unused to this type of tomfoolery. And again, Hide can only think one thing: Kaneki is cute.

            Hide laughs, a whole-hearted chuckle that emanates warmth. “I’m just kidding, dude, relax!” He shoots Kaneki a smile so wide it forces his eyes to close halfway. “Come on, wanna get a bite to eat or something?”  
            “Well, um…,” Kaneki stutters once more, “well, I’d um, sure, but...you’re all wet.” He waves a hand up and down at Hide to further prove his point, as if Hide didn’t already know that he was drenched.

            To be fair, however, Hide did forget, though he’s not really sure why or how. He thinks for a quick minute. “Well then, would you like to come to my apartment? It’s just a block or so away.”

            Kaneki gives him a look that seems to be somewhere between skepticism and curiosity. “But we just met…” This boy, Hide notes, has an odd habit of getting his point across without being direct. He wonders why.

            “It’s okay, I promise I won’t bite!” He leans in with a devious smirk, “well, unless that’s what you’re into.” Hide isn’t usually this direct with strangers with the get go, he just can’t seem to help himself this time though.

            Off put by Hide’s snide remark, Kaneki stumbles a half step back with a look of surprise and embarrassment. This only elicits more snickers from the other. He lets out a tsking noise and frowns at Hide. “What’s _with you_?”

            Hide bursts out into full on heckles, slapping Kaneki on the shoulder as if he had just told the best joke Hide has ever heard. In response to the sudden contact, Kaneki tenses up but doesn’t move away. “Oh come, admit it, I’m funny!” Hide says with a sing song voice. “Better yet, admit it when we’re alone, together in my apartment.” He then proceeds to chuckle at his own joke. “But anyway, you should come on over,” He says a bit more seriously, “I’ll even cook for you, my treat!”

            Kaneki is silent for a moment, carefully observing Hide, probably looking for some sort of tell that would reveal if Hide were a murder. Hide assumes that it would probably be along the lines of an eye twitch or maybe a smile that is just a little too tight. He tries to relax despite the scrutiny the other is obviously using.

            Finally, he speaks, “Fine.” He says, in a tone not unlike a child would use when being told to do their chores, “but no funny business.”

            Hide grins a smile, ear to ear. “Of course.” He recognizes the look Kaneki gives him, it’s not unlike a face many people show him when he smiles genuinely: a look of bewilderment. However, this look is a little bit different for a reason he can’t quite pin down. For several different reasons, Hide can feel the giddiness of excitement bubbling up inside him.

            He thinks that it will be a good night.


	2. Chapter 2

            “So what are you in the mood for? I don’t have meat or anything fancy like that. Tight college student budget, ya know?”

            After he changes his clothes, Hide quickly returns to the kitchen where Kaneki is standing stiff, seeming very out of place. Hide starts to shuffle through the things in his kitchen cabinets. Cereal? _It’s not breakfast_. Instant ramen? _I’m not that cheap_. He sifts through more items, which for some reason, seems to be almost entirely noodle dishes.

            “Hmmm…,” Hide holds up an old box of what appears to be spaghetti noodles. _This’ll do._

            He stands up and turns, look for where Kaneki decided to situate himself. He’s sitting rather stiffly at the small kitchen table, shooting a pouty glare in Hide’s direction.

            “Aw, what’s with the face?” In response, Kaneki’s jaw becomes a little less tight, and his gaze a little softer. Hide muses internally, he must have not realized the face he was making. He smiles and says, “Do you like angel hair pasta?” he holds out the box for the other to look at.

            Too quickly to have actually looked at the box, but just long enough to warrant not being made fun of, Kaneki replies with an artificial nonchalant tone. “Sure, anything is fine with me.”

            Hide breathes out through his nose and grins, “good,” he says, moving over to the counter and preparing some pots on the stove. “What else do you like to eat?”

            He hears a small huff from Kaneki’s general direction, “What?”

            Hide fills one pot with water and a pinch of salt. “You know, like foods?” He lights a fire under the pot. “Fruits, vegetables, meats, that sort of thing?”

            “I know what that means,” Kaneki retorts, “it’s just a weird question.” He finishes off his statement with a little less sass.

            Hide bites his lip. He’s not very good at small talk, he finds it boring to be honest. But he really doesn’t want to scare Kaneki away. Hide also didn’t like being nervous, why is he so nervous? He tells himself to relax and try again.

            He lets out a shaky laugh and can hear Kaneki resituating himself in his chair. “Ha, I guess you’re right. Sorry…,” he trails off, trying to think of a better topic, “do you like to watch TV?”

            Lame. Absolutely lame.

            There’s an awkward silence. Way too awkward. Hide coughs nervously. “I like all kinds of shows myself! Comedy, horror, romance, action...even those stupid sci fi shows about things like mega sharks, or whatever.” He chuckles a little to fill the silence that is slowly becoming more and more deafening.

            _Come on, Kaneki, talk to me._ Hide pours some sauce in the empty pot and starts to heat it up, stirring it almost constantly to keep himself busy.

            “Well…,” Yes! He speaks! “I don’t really watch a lot of TV.”

            Hide wants to die.

            “B-but…, I do like comedy and romance sometimes.” Is that a hint of embarrassment Hide detects in the other’s voice?

            “Oh, really? Do you like rom-coms?” Wait, why did he say that? _Hide, you’re so stupid!_ “I like ‘em. If I had to pick a favorite, It’d be the Proposal.” Hide realizes he’s rambling now but he can't seem to stop himself. “Sandra Bullock really kills it in that movie, ha ha…,” Hide wants to hide in a corner.

            “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that one,” Kaneki replies, “Like I said I don’t really watch TV and stuff…”

            Dumb Hide. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

            “Oh yeah, ha ha, right,” Why is he so giggly? Nothing about this is funny. “You said you like books, right? I use to like ‘em too, when I was younger. Then I just got bored I guess. Maybe you could say I’m the type of person who doesn’t stick with one thing to long…,” Hide wants to kick himself for rambling again. “Ah, the water’s boiling.” He quickly fills the pot with noodles and stirs them while waiting for the simmering water to return to a boil again.

            He hears Kaneki cough and realizes that he hasn’t turned to face him since he started cooking. Why is that? Hide decides not to get too worked up about it. As soon as the water starts to boil again he sets the timer and goes to the cupboard to fish out a pair of plates and cups. He takes them to the table, and sets them down. Hide thinks that Kaneki looks at least a little bit more relaxed. He lets out a shaky breath that he didn’t know he was holding.

            “So, um, what do you want to drink?”

            Kaneki contemplates for a moment, “Do you have any pop?”

            Dammit. “Er, no, I don’t...actually I only have water and coffee. I can’t really afford much else.” He scratches his cheek.

            Kaneki raises an eyebrow, “You can afford coffee, but not pop?”

            Hide laughs nervously again, “Ah yeah, I really wouldn’t be able to get up in the morning without it. It’s more of a necessity at this point.”

            “I guess I’ll have water then. Coffee doesn’t really go with pasta.”

            “Ah, ha, true. Sorry.” Hide takes the two cups and fills them with water before placing them back where they were. Not really knowing what to do, he sits down at the tiny table across from Kaneki.

            Now what?

            “So…,” Hide starts.

            “Why are you staring at me like that?”

            “Uh...what?”

            “You’re looking at me weird,” Kaneki averts his gaze, “stop that.”

            Hide blinks. What? Had he been looking at him in a weird way? He’s confused, and doesn’t know what to say. He tries to relax the muscles in his face. What does he look like now? Is it weird?

            “Ah…sorry, I didn’t mean to make you nervous…,” Hide feels like he’s screwing up at every turn.

            “...It’s okay…,” Kaneki glances over at him, “shouldn’t you be stirring the noodles?”

            “Huh?”

            “The noodles, they need to be stirred.” Kaneki points to the pot on the stove. “The sauce too.”

            “Huh? Why?”

            The look Kaneki gives Hide makes him feel very ashamed. Kaneki stands up and goes over to the stove. He starts to stir the noodles in their pot, and then the sauce.

            “You have to stir the noodles so they don’t stick together. The same with the sauce because it will burn.”

            “Woah, what?” Hide gets up and walks over to Kaneki, leaning over his shoulder to watch what he’s doing. “You’re pretty smart, huh?”

            “What?” His voice cracked a bit, “no, you’re just dumb.”

            “Ah, what? Oh man, mom sure isn’t gonna like this…, man two disappointments in one night. This is rough.” He chuckles at his joke.

            Hide watches Kaneki stir the pot, and can’t help but notice how delicate a touch he has…

            “Um,” Kaneki speaks up, “You...you’re a little close…”

            And suddenly Hide is very aware of what he’s doing. He’s right behind Kaneki, probably inches away from him. How did he get so close? He quickly backs away.

            “Ah,” he clears his throat and looks away, “sorry about that…”

            Hide thinks tonight is a weird night.

           

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I chose American movies and spaghetti to write about over something more Japanese because I figured it would be somewhat easier to write and read. Also Hide canonically listens to the Backstreet Boys so maybe he's into that kind of stuff anyway?


	3. Chapter 3

            “This is really good! Probably the best thing I had all month!”

            “What the heck are you eating? This isn’t that good.”

            Having finished cooking, the two boys are now sitting across from each other, enjoying their meals. Hide smiles at Kaneki. Kaneki struggles to keep his gaze.

            “I’m serious man.” He sheepishly scratches his cheek. “I don’t really eat very well. Instant ramen is usually my go to.”

            Kaneki purses his lips in a thin line while he thinks. “You look pretty good,” he blurts out. “For such a poor diet, I mean.” He makes sure to quickly correct himself.

            “So you admit I’m handsome?”

            “That is _not_ what I said.”

            “I don’t see how that could be interpreted in any other way.”

            “Augh! I’m just saying that you have a surprisingly healthy physique for someone who lives off of ramen and coffee!” Kaneki is red in the face now, whether that’s because he’s angry or embarrassed, Hide can’t really tell. He decides that it’s cute either way.

            He chuckles and then slurps up some noodles.

            “What’s so funny?” Kaneki is glaring at him now. Also cute.

            Hide wipes off his cheek with the back of his hand and smiles. “Oh nothing, I just thought you were cute.”

_What did I just say?_

            Kaneki is choking now on his most recent forkful of noodles, and Hide is in a stunned silence; his brain trying to parse the current events.

            Suddenly, things click and Hide is up on his feet, his chair knocked backwards and clanging on the floor. He rushes over to him, skirting quickly around the table.

            “Kaneki, are you okay?” Hide has never learned the Heimlich maneuver and really wishes he had right about now.

            Kaneki waves a dismissive hand at him and Hide takes this as a good sign. The other boy picks up his glass of water and proceeds to chug a good portion of it. Hide waits in anticipation.

            Kaneki releases a deep sigh as he places his glass back on the table. He looks at the very worried other hovering over him. “I’m fine,” the boy says, “it just went down the wrong way.”

            “What?”

            “You know, when, like, stuff gets stuck in your throat or something, I don’t know.” Kaneki looks away, seemingly unamused by the idea of explaining how the human digestive system works to Hide.

            “Well, uh,” Hide stutters, “well I’m glad that you’re okay.” He turns away and runs a hand through his hair.

_Well, that went really bad, really quick._

            In defeat, Hide retreats back to his spot at the table. He picks up his chair with a gentle hand, as if he had hurt its feelings, and sits back down.

            There is now another awkward silence that fills the room. Hide doesn’t know what to do anymore. He’s the one that caused this mess, and he’s not quite sure he can recover. Well, as a small victory, he might be able to pretend his kneejerk remark never happened. That is, if Kaneki decides to do the same. He glances at the other, who is playing with his food with a rather flustered look on his face.

            Hide decides mimicking him is the best option for how. He picks up his fork and begins to twirl it in the noodles until a comically large amount is wound around it. He lifts the blob off his plate and swallows it whole in one quick motion.

            A rather loud roll of thunder breaks the stagnant silence that fills the room, if only for a moment. Hide is comforted by the ever present rain, if only just a little.

            “So…,” there is a voice, suddenly, “why were you dancing in the rain?” It’s Kaneki. He isn’t looking Hide directly in the eye, but it’s a start.

            “Oh, well,” Hide chuckles lightly, “I just like it.”

            “What do you mean you like it?”

            “I mean what I said. I like the rain”

            “How can anyone like the rain?” Kaneki was looking at him straight on now, intrigued.

            “Well, I mean, it’s just so…,” Hide tries to find a word that encompasses his feelings on the subject, “so…enchanting.”

            “…Enchanting.”

            “Yes, that’s right.”

            “You’re really weird.”

            “What, why am I weird?”

            “Because you just called a basic type of weather ‘enchanting.’” Despite his insult, Kaneki is smiling now, if only just a little bit.

            “Hey, you’re the one who picked this weirdo up.” Hide gives him a grin in return.

            Kaneki purses his lips, he’s been caught without a comeback. Hide starts to laugh. “What’s so funny?” Kaneki says, and Hide gets a slight sense of déjà vu.

            He flushes at the thought but casts it from his mind. “Nothing, nothing.”

            Kaneki gives him a look that says he wants to press further but he decides to stay quiet instead. It’s probably the best for both of them to keep it that way.

            “So, uh,” Hide tries to start a new conversation, “do you go to school?” Smooth talking, as always.

            “…yeah, I do. I go to Kamii.” Kaneki takes a bite of his meal.

            “What? No way! Me too! I can’t believe I’ve never seen you before.”

            Kaneki looks up from his food. “You?” he inquires in a disbelieving tone.

            “What’s with that?” Hide sits back in his chair and stretches his arms upwards and outwards. “You think I’m not smart enough?” He grins.

            “Wha-, no. That’s not it. It’s just surprising, is all.”

            “Well, why is it surprising?” Hide leans forward in his chair now.

            In response, Kaneki recedes in his chair. “Well…, you don’t seem, like, uh,” He rubs the back of his neck, “you just don’t look like the type of person to go to Kamii.”  
            “So you do think I’m not smart!”

            “No! That’s not what I said! I just meant that you don’t _look_ smart. There’s a difference.” He takes a swig of his remaining water to signal he was done explaining.

            However, Hide wanted to press further even so. “So what does a smart person look like?” He’s having fun with this conversation and, for some reason, he enjoys teasing the other.

            Kaneki furrows his brow. “Well,” he looks up at the ceiling while he thinks. He continues his thought without looking down, “I don’t know…you just, you seem more like a punk.”

            “A punk?” Hide laughs, “what the heck does that even mean?”

            “I-I don’t know!” Kaneki looks down at his food, glancing at Hide quickly on the way. “You just, you know, you got the dyed hair and the headphones and stuff like that.”

            “‘Stuff like that,’ he says. You don’t even know what you’re talking about. Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to judge a book by its cover?” Hide wags his finger back and forth, accompanying the motion with a ‘tsk tsk tsk’. “Shouldn’t you know that yourself Mr. Book Boy?”

            In a pouty tone, Kaneki says, “I came here tonight, didn’t I?”

            “Hmmm…, very true. You’re off the hook for now.” Hide says with a reassuring smile.

            Kaneki rolls his eyes. “Oh, thanks.”

            Hide feels good, accomplished even. Why though, he’s not sure. Really all he did was prod and poke at the other. It was still fun. He looks over at Kaneki’s plate. It’s empty, he finished already? Hide barely started his meal.

            “Well,” He speaks in a melancholy tone, “I won’t keep you any longer than you want to. You can go home now if you want.” He smiles. “Thanks for coming, though.”  
            Kaneki opens his mouth to speak but Hide interrupts him, “Ah, wait right here!” He runs off to his bedroom. A minute or two later he returns with a piece of paper that has his name and phone number scrawled on it. “Keep in touch, will you?”

            The other hesitantly takes the note and tucks it in his pocket. He then brings his hand up to rub his chin, saying, “I don’t know if I can guarantee that, but, uh, thanks.”

            Hide grins, “No problem.”

            After a few more words exchanged and Kaneki gathers his things, he walks back out into the still pouring rain. Hide, without much thought to it, watches the boy go until he can’t see him anymore.

            He thinks tonight was a nice night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't tend to re read my works so I'm sorry if there are any grammatical errors. Also, AO3 doesn't seem to like the idea of tabs in my writing so there's that as well.


	4. Chapter 4

            In general, it can definitively be said that Hide hates himself. It’s not a constant stream of self-deprecation. It comes by every now and then and slaps him in the face. It yells, “What are you doing you moron? Get your head out of your ass!”. Other days, it shows itself in the subtle way his happiness is blanketed by something more unappreciated, like a heavy wool comforter on a summer day.

            He has rarely told anyone about this, of course, at least in the past few years. He knows that people tend to think less of him in the end. Even if they don’t want to. He decided not to rely on anyone else in his first year of junior high.

            He had a friend, then, and they were very close. They got along together right from the start, they liked the same games, movies, and TV. They had the same sense of humor. They liked to do the same things.

            Hide thought they were inseparable.

            It was a just after a long, late spring day. It was hot and Hide was in a remarkably lousy mood. The two were on their way home, and his friend could tell he was low. After some prodding, Hide let go, he opened up the flood gates of his heart. He told his friend each and every one of his worries, his faults, and his losses. He didn’t stop until everything was of his chest.

            It was too much.

 

* * *

 

 

            It’s raining tonight. It’s a soft, yet heavy rain. A mist at least 6 feet tall covers the area. It’s the type of atmosphere you would see in a cheesy horror movie. Quiet and foreboding, unable to see very far ahead, it would make anyone anxious.

            Hide likes that. He leans back in his fold out chair and stretches his arms and legs. He muses that he’s lucky to have a balcony. He’d be able to see the horror movie killer from above easily.

            A small burst of wind blows and directs some of the rain to Hide’s face. He’s not mad, of course, it’s refreshing to say the least. Sometimes he’s glad his crappy apartment balcony doesn’t offer much in the way of cover, but then most people probably wouldn’t be out in the rain anyway.

            He sighs and looks out to the gray horizon. There’s no light for miles. It’ll be raining for a while, to say the least. He’s glad. Hide is here to collect his thoughts.

            It’s been two weeks since he met Kaneki. Two weeks since he invited the other boy to his home, two weeks since he went too far.

            There’s a few funny side effects of being a lonely shut-in that you never really notice until you find someone to interact with. The first is that you’ll fall head over heels for anyone who is willing to give you the time of day. It’s almost like getting a bottle of water after a two day bout of dehydration. Of course you’re going to love it. Of course it’s going to be the most amazing water you’ve tasted in your life. Of course you’re going to want more. But, unlike water, other people have feelings. You can’t keep asking for love and affection from others constantly, especially those you just met.

            Another is that you tend to get paranoid. You tend to believe that everyone is out to get you. You make one wrong mistake, and everything is screwed forever. It’s gone to shit before, so why wouldn’t it now? This, of course, leads to shutting yourself out even more. Why even bother if you know it’s not going to work out? Cut your losses now.

            But that’s a vicious cycle. Hide knows this, so he tries to break out of it every once in a while. It’s hard though. It’s terrifying. Sometimes Hide wants to give up and quit. But he can’t do that. He can’t betray himself like that.

            So when an opportunity strikes, he’d hate himself if he let it pass him by. So he tries.

            And this is where it lands him. Alone on a dingy apartment balcony, staring out into the rain like the main character of an angsty teen novel (not that he’s read enough to make such an analysis).

            He checks his phone for what seems like the hundredth time. Of course, there’s no change. No notifications, no nothing. Why would Kaneki text someone like him? Hide probably scared him off. Probably creeped him out. He’s probably afraid to walk around campus, worried he’ll run it to the weird guy who forced him over for dinner.

            But maybe not? Hide sighs again, he’s frustrated and has no idea what to do with himself. He can’t text Kaneki himself, that would probably scare him off even more if he wasn’t terrified already.

            He has nothing to distract himself with either, no TV—the cable got shut off last month. Nowhere to go, he has no friends. Nothing to do. He decides for the third time in the past hour that sitting on his balcony is the best course of action. He closes his eyes and tries his best to relax.

 

* * *

 

            It was humid that late afternoon. The air was thick and stagnant. No one was out walking besides the two of them. That, at least, was a bit comforting

            “Wow, dude, I’m sorry, I mean, that just…sucks,” Hide’s friend sighed out his words, an acknowledgement of what Hide had spewed out just a minute ago.

            Hide crossed his arms and sighed in return, “That’s not even the half of it,” he muttered bitterly.

            His friend looked over at him “What’s up?” When Hide didn’t respond, the other flashed him a smile, “Come on, it’s good to talk about it y’know, at least that’s what my mom says.”

            Hide turned the corners of his mouth up in a half-hearted smile. He thought for a minute, contemplating his choices. “Well…why don’t you come over to my house? We could play video games or something? I…I’ll tell you then.”

            Certainly the moisture in the air foretold a rainy forecast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay for angst and story building (ง ◕ั⌑◕ั)ว ⁾


	5. Chapter 5

            It was like sitting in a kiln. Hide was a clay figurine being fired and afterword he would be painted and glazed. He would be sold to a middle aged woman and she would keep him on her desk. Such a fate, Hide mused, would be much better than his current situation.

            Sat alongside his friend at the foot of his bed, he supposed he should feel comfortable. Instead, he ignored the other, focusing on their game. He was playing poorly even so. He was staring straight ahead, at the TV, but he really couldn’t pay attention. Instead of pushing the buttons in a strategic fashion, he was just mashing them at random.

            His companion’s gaze was drilling into him, he could feel it. Hide hadn’t said anything and his friend hadn’t pushed it, but he knew it was an issue that needed to be addressed. He just had to work up the courage, he had to say it. But how?

_Could he lie to get out of it?_

            That wouldn’t work. Hide didn’t like to keep secrets, and they knew it. What kind of lie would he tell anyway? His mom was dead? It’s a big one sure, that would explain why he would keep quiet about it. But how would he keep it covered up? It’d be too much work.

            But would it be better than this?

            “Hide?”

            Oh, he had zoned out. The video game was paused, how long had it been?

            “Hide…are you okay?”

            “Um, yeah, sorry, I’m just tired.” He shrugged the concern off instinctively.

            “You know, Hide, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

            Crap, he was transparent as glass. “Well, um, no, it’s fine… I just don’t know how to put it.”

            “You don’t have to rush it.”

            “I know,” he sighed, “I know. I should just…get it over with.”

            “If you think that’s what’s best.”

            Hide took a deep breath. He knew that there was no turning back, and the longer he took the more anxious he would get. He just had to take the leap.

            “You…like me, right?”

            “Yeah, dude, of course I do. You know that.”

            He did. But he just needed the confirmation. Something to hold on to. “Well, there’s something….something important I need to tell you.”

            “You know you can tell me anything.”

            “I…I know…,” Hide trailed off.

            His friend didn’t reply, they waited patiently. The room was silent, bar the faint buzzing his old TV set gave off.

            Whether it was the humidity or the anxiety, Hide couldn’t breathe. He continued to try to take deep breaths, but it didn’t help much.

_Say it, just say it. It’s too late now, there’s no going back. Say it. Say it, spit it out. Stop stalling, just say it!_

            “Hide?”

            “I’m a ghoul.”

* * *

 

            The fallout was not a good one. Though, in hindsight Hide knew that was the only way things could have went. His friend was appalled. They were in hysterics, screaming about how they were betrayed. How they had to turn Hide in: there was “no other option”. But…Hide couldn’t allow that. Like his friend, he had only one option.

            After that, he ran away. He moved halfway across the country, without any goodbyes and without any warnings. Not even his mother knew what happened. It was better off that way. She, at least, could continue to live her life peacefully. As peaceful as it can get for a ghoul, anyway.

            It took Hide a while to reintegrate into society. For a long time, he wouldn’t talk to a soul. He would prey on those who walked alone at night. The ones that smelled of alcohol and cigarettes. It was a meager living. Hide still wonders if he even kept his sanity during those days.

            He would like to say that it was someone else that helped him regain himself. He would like to be able to tell an interesting and riveting tale about his trials and tribulations. But, it wasn’t like that at all. In the end, he simply got bored. He got tired and he became depressed. He wanted change, so he got just that.

            It was a struggle at first. Finding a job, finding a home, finding a voice, even. But he made it. He was able to live a normal life, comparatively. However, he didn’t have much of a social life. He was nice enough to strangers and co-workers, but when they tried to get close he pushed each and every one away. He couldn’t help it. He didn’t want to be hurt again.

            So why, then, did he let Kaneki Ken in? Or maybe it would be more accurate to say that he invited, even forced him in. Was it because he felt lonely? Was it because he wanted change again? It could be a mix of that in many other things. Whatever the case, when the black haired boy appeared in front of him, Hide lost himself and couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

            Now, Hide is stuck with a choice. He can either walk away, and continue on with his lonely existence. Or, he can pursue this friendship, or what-have-you, and leave caution to the wind.

            There is safety in his life right now, but there isn’t any fun. Hide is scared shitless, to say the least. But, does he want to die alone and broken? Is it worth it? Is a life without others really any life at all? He doesn’t know.

            So, why not try? What’s the worst that could happen? Hide being damaged again? Having to run away with his tail between his legs, and start anew again?

            Maybe it’s worth it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ( ´•௰•`) vague back story is probably done for the time being. Back to the present next chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

It's 3:43 AM on a Tuesday. Hide has a lecture at 8 AM that he really can't afford to miss. One more failed test, and he's seriously fucked.

So why, then, is he wide awake? There's a simple answer to that, really. It took a month for Hide to get the text.

_Turn to channel 39._

It was an odd command, especially coming from an unknown number. Still, curious as he was, Hide took the bait and did as he was told—all the while wondering if following an odd command from a stranger meant anything about his character in general.

The light from his TV, although dim, was blinding against his otherwise pitch black bedroom. He had, after all, been trying to get at least some rest before his early morning tomorrow. Lazily, he flicks through the channels to reach his destination.

Hide didn’t know what he was expecting. Maybe a cheesy porno, and he would receive another text shortly after that was something along the lines of “ayy lmao”. Or, it could be a prank where the channel would just be static the texter would send a message that read “they’re here for you.” And they would hope that that would leave Hide up for the rest of the night.

Instead, he was pleasantly surprised to see a very familiar sight. In his sleepy daze, it took Hide about a minute to figure out what he was staring at until it hit him: this was the opening to the Proposal. The wheels started turning and things finally clicked.

In excitement, Hide jumped up out of his bed and made a little dance around his room. Kaneki texted Hide. _Kaneki texted Hide!_ It took all his self-control to keep from yelling out or jumping for joy. He had to think of his neighbors, after all (or else he would end up with his ass on the streets).

Nevertheless, Hide was excited. He flopped on to his bed and immediately texted Kaneki back.

And that is how Hide ended up wide awake, a giddy school girl in the wee hours of the morning. Hide regrets _nothing._ Well, he’s sure that he will regret some things about this night in the morning but for the moment— _nothing._

He and Kaneki had talked about so much, though all of it was very light hearted. Hide didn’t want to overstep his boundaries or scare Kaneki off, so he decided it was best to take it slow. The texted about things like Kamii and the classes they took, to things like the movie and why Hide loved it so damn much. Kaneki was confused as to _why_ anyone would love a cheesy romance that doesn’t really have any basis in reality. However, Hide was determined to set him straight, sending him a multi text message explanation of the genius of the Proposal. After that, their conversation flowed into other movies that they like. It came to one that had come out recently.

_‘You haven’t seen it?’_ Kaneki had texted.

_‘No, I don’t really actually go to the movies a lot. Kinda makes me feel weird goin all alone lol’_

A few minutes went by, and Hide had assumed that Kaneki had fallen asleep. That is, until his phone buzzed once more.

_‘Do you wanna go with me?’_

Ah, what? What did he say? Did he actually just text that? Hide had to re-evaluate the text once, twice, even three times. He had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. He wasn’t. He didn’t know how to respond. ‘I’d love to.’? No, that’s too forward. ‘Sure that sounds cool.’ Now he seems disinterested. Hide typed and retyped his message a couple times over.

_‘I’d like that.’_ Is what he finally landed on, mainly because he didn’t want to take too long to reply.

And that led to a small set of texts, a plan to meet tomorrow night at a cheap movie theater near the campus. After that, Kaneki said that he was falling asleep and wished Hide a good night.

Now, Hide is laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling with a stupid grin on his face. He can’t sleep now, the gods have blessed him with a date!

Oh man, what if he embarrasses himself? What if Kaneki doesn’t like him? What if the movie is bad? No, no Hide reminds himself not to think like that. He shakes his head as if to rid himself of his anxieties. Thinking like that will only jinx him. He has to give this date his all.

What should he wear? Should he pay for Kaneki? Would that be rude if he did? The questions keep popping up, and Hide is both too tired and too excited to answer them properly. He has a lot of concerns for the next day and his class in the morning was the least of them.

Grades be damned! Hide has to look well rested for Kaneki tomorrow. He can probably ask for a rundown for a classmate. He would be willing to pay the cost. He really doesn’t want to be tired and grouchy tomorrow night. It’s a first date, so he doesn’t want to screw it up.

But, is this really a first date? A dinner for two is kind of…romantic.

No, wait, that wasn’t a date. That was just Hide trying to be nice and repay the favor, right? But then again, it was a bit of an over-reaction to someone helping him up off the ground. No doubt, Kaneki was probably creeped out. Hide wants to hit himself. But, then again, he did get a text, even if it did take a month…

Come to think of it, is this even a date? Hide would consider it one, but is that what Kaneki thinks? Maybe he thinks it’s an outing with a friend. Maybe that’s all he really wants. But, how is Hide supposed to tell?

He groans and rolls over on to his stomach. Now he’s way too nervous to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ I gave up on trying to format in indents


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning is a huge pain in the ass. In the end, Hide felt too guilty to skip class all together. So he ends up sitting in the back of the lecture hall, in a largely disheveled state. He’s barely awake, holding his coffee with the gentleness and protection of a mother with a new born baby. He’s un-showered, and if someone came close enough, there’s no doubt in his mind that they would not like what the smell.

He reasons that it was at least worth it that he picked himself up and came. Even if he’s not really paying attention, even if he’s spending most of his energy on not falling asleep, at least he came.

Hide sits back in his seat and stretches. There’s another fifteen minutes or so until class ends. He doesn’t really know what this class was about. He saw some pictures of the brain and stock photos of people doing general activities and working.  Maybe it was about neurological activity during everyday tasks? He’ll have to look through the PowerPoint again when his professor sends it out in an email. He supposes he should be able to piece things together from just that.

At the moment though, that’s not really his main concern. He has to get ready for his this-may-or-may-not-be-a-date date. Swirling his coffee in his cup, he wonders what he should wear. Are every day clothes okay? Should he try and be more…casual? Gah, this was too confusing. Hide took a long drink of his coffee. He hasn’t been social in a long time. He’s rusty as hell and very afraid he’s going to mess something up.

And then there’s _that._

Hide bites his thumb. He’s a ghoul. Should he really be indulging on silly relationships with humans like this? What if he hurts them? What if he gets hurt? This is so risky, even thinking about it makes his stomach turn. What if he slips up and does something wrong? Would Kaneki be traumatized? Would…Hide have to…, kill him?

He’d have to move again if that were the case. He’d have to start his life all over again. Would he exclude himself from the world again? Would he ever recover a second time around?

_Is any of this even worth it?_

He sighs. Hide really wants to go, honestly. But the cons so obviously outweigh the pros. Any self-respecting person would know that. They wouldn’t have even made plans in the first place, right?

This is too confusing. He wishes he could find someone or something to tell him what’s right. What’s worth it, and what isn’t. But he knows that isn’t reasonable. He knows that he’s gonna have to figure these things out on his own. He just wishes it isn’t so hard.

His brain tells him that this is way too risky to even being close to worth it. That he should just continue on with his secluded, miserable life. It’s a safe life and that’s all that matters.

But still, he doesn’t know how much more of this he can take. Between school and work, he doesn’t have anything else. He’d be nice to whoever gave him the time of day, but he made it a point to keep distant and superficial. There are those that try to forge relationships even so, but they all give up in the end. It’s for the best.

So why is it different with Kaneki? Hide will admit that there was a deciding factor in the other’s looks, but that can’t be the soul factor. What was so different about that day? If anything, Hide should have been creeped out that Kaneki would even consider helping a weirdo like himself.

Maybe that was it, though? Maybe dancing in the rain, so involved in his own thoughts and wants, Hide was caught off guard?

He groans again and finishes up his coffee. This is too much thinking too early in the morning. Hide should just go with the flow, right? But what about looking before you leap? What if he gets himself into serious trouble? Even worse, what if he gets Kaneki into trouble?

Hide folds his arms on the table and rests his head on them. He’s just thinking in circles at this point. But what else is there to think about? Well, there is class, but that’s not important enough to care about. At least this early in the morning.

What else is there to think about? There wasn’t anything going on at work to mull over. And Hide definitely doesn’t have anything else to concern himself with.

He’s pulled out of his thoughts by a certain increase in noise around him. He looks around. People are getting up and leaving. Class is over already? He looks at his phone, and sure enough, it’s 10:03 AM. He breathes a sigh of relief. Thank whatever deity was currently watching over him, he could finally leave. Though, he can’t really tell if this class was agonizingly slow or mercifully quick. Either way, it didn’t matter; he could leave.

Hide stands and gathers his things with a yawn. Now what? Should he go back to his apartment? Would it be wrong to maybe catch a nap? But, what if he oversleeps?

He shakes his head to try and rid himself of his racing thoughts again. Deciding that it’s best to go home, he starts his trek out of the class and back home. He can decide what he’s going to do when he gets there.

The rest, he might just leave up to luck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone was wondering why this chapter took longer than usual even though it's a bit shorter than the other chapters, it's because I tried updating to Windows 10 and that took me three days. ヽ༼ຈل͜ຈ༽ﾉ︵ ┻━┻


	8. Chapter 8

Hide checks his phone for the third time. It’s 7:09 PM. The movie starts at 7:30, but they agreed to meet at 7:15. He’s nervous. He double checks his text history. Is he at the right theater? Yeah. Is he sure about the time? Yes.

Hide takes a deep breath and releases it slowly, though it doesn’t really help to calm him down. He doubts anything will, he’s agonized over anything and everything he could today. Anything that came across his mind was perfect material to run his thoughts in circles.

College? _You’re gonna fail._

Work? _You’re gonna get fired._

Kaneki? _He’s gonna hate you. He’ll find out. He’ll be disgusted. He’ll betray you._

**_You’ll have to kill him._ **

_You’ll have his blood on your hands. It’ll be all your fault because you had to put your wants ahead of him. He’s gonna die because you wanted a friend. Was it worth it? Was it??_

Hide is torn out of his thoughts, his focus shifted from the pavement below him to a pair of sneakers that enter his field of vision. He looks up to see Kaneki standing before him. Looking sheepish and having difficulties to keep his gaze in one place.

“Ah, um,” Hide starts, trying to find his voice, “I guess we both came a little early, huh?”

Kaneki wraps his arms around himself. “Well, I didn’t want to be late…”

Hide lets out a small sigh of relief. He needs to remind himself Kaneki is probably nervous too. “So, you ready to go get our tickets?”

“Uh, yeah.” Kaneki nods and walks inside.

Hide turns on his heel and jogs ahead of Kaneki, “I’m paying!” He explains to the other bewildered boy as he passes him and skids to a stop at the ticket counter. He pays for two tickets and returns to Kaneki, handing him one.

“You, you didn’t have to do that,” he boy says as he takes the ticket. “I can pay for myself.” An expression crosses is face that is somewhere between annoyance and embarrassment.

_Still cute._

“Of course I didn’t have to, but I wanted to.” Hide starts walking, “Do you wanna get some popcorn or something?”

“No, it’s so expensive.”

Hide waves his hand in the air, as if to shoo away the words Kaneki had just spoken. “Don’t worry about it, it’s my treat.”

“But you just paid for the tickets!” Kaneki retorts, a sudden rise of emotion in his voice.

“I still have money.”

“That’s not the problem here!” Kaneki chides, “I’ll pay for the popcorn!” He stomps off towards the concession stand.

Hide follows after a pause, he had to recover from Kaneki’s sudden outburst. He hopes that Kaneki isn’t actually mad, though.

Kaneki pays for the popcorn, which ends up being a hefty price despite buying only a medium. Once he gets it, they make their way to the theater their movie is in.

“Where do you want to sit?” Hide looks around. There are only a handful of people taking up seats even though the previews are about to start.

Quietly, Kaneki says, “I like to sit in the back.” Hide notes the sudden change in his disposition from earlier, and is relieved that he isn’t really mad.

“The back it is then.” Hide starts his trek up the stairs, and they end up in the middle of the second-to-last row.

Once seated Hide speaks up, “Do you think we should’ve gotten drinks?”

“I can go get some, if you want.”

“No, no, it’s fine. I mean, I’ll be okay if you’re fine with it.” Hide stumbles a bit over his words.

“Alright.”

There’s a thin silence. Kaneki pops a piece of popcorn in his mouth.

“Do you like movie previews?”

“Huh?”

“Well, some people really hate them. But, I don’t really get that. Like, it’s the perfect way to see what’s coming out soon.”

“Well…,” Kaneki puts some thought into his answer, “I guess I don’t mind them. I mean, they’re okay, I guess. I never thought about it.”

“…You’re weird, you know that?”

Kaneki looks at Hide with a _cute_ wide-eyed stare. “Me? You’re the one who doesn’t even go to the movies.”

Hide snickers. The lights dim, and he decides to leave the conversation at that. Though, he thinks that he would like to see that kind of face on Kaneki again. That’s not a weird thought is it? Nah.

The first preview plays and it’s a rom-com. Hide glances at Kaneki and he swears he saw Kaneki looking at him from the corner of his eye. He hopes he’s right.

His mind drifts to the romance side of rom-coms. Isn’t this a typical first date? Is he supposed to do something other than watch the movie? Like that one cheesy move where he fakes a stretch and wraps his arm around Kaneki. Hide realizes how much he’d really like to do that. But, what if that’s not what Kaneki wants? What if it makes him uncomfortable? No, he can’t be that straightforward. That could end really poorly. He should just act naturally. This is the first date….or, whatever this is.

He tries to get relaxed in his chair, trying to dispel the anxiety that has been with him since he got here. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work. He sighs softly.

 If anything, at least he got to get out of his house for once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really, really sorry this chapter took so long!   
> My life is a bit hectic at the moment, to say the least. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter!


	9. Chapter 9

The movie was good. That is to say, good enough to make Hide laugh so hard he couldn’t breathe, and on occasion, snort uncontrollably and clap like a seal. Kaneki, of course, had way more self-control, and was able to keep his laughs reasonable and un-obnoxious. Hide did not like that juxtaposition. But, Kaneki had suggested dinner afterwards. So, he was either being polite or he actually didn’t mind being with him. Hide had a mind that it was the former, but was hoping for the latter.

They ended up at a small restaurant about a five minute walk away. Since it was near a college campus, it was well priced and the food was more-or-less decent, at least that’s what Kaneki had told him.  

Kaneki insisted that he pay the bill. Hide tried to argue, but he wouldn’t let Hide get in a single word until he agreed.

While they ate, they talked. They spoke about anything from the movie, to humor, to writing, to what they thought the colors the human brain couldn’t perceive were like.

 Hide admits that the dinner was…less than orthodox. He always liked to imagine that his first dinner date would be in a low-lit room, talking about classy things like stocks and bonds over the jazz playing softly in the background. He would chuckle at his partner’s chaste joke and then take a sip of red wine.

He didn’t really expect it to be at a chain restaurant where a child was whining about their food in the next booth over.

Still, it was perfect. He wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. It was realistic. It was _normal._ This, as Hide would no doubt conclude, is what he was missing out on all these years. This was no date scene in a romance movie. This was real life.

But reality is what reality does.

The only reason they came to eat was that Kaneki, the sensible and caring guy he is, noticed Hide’s stomach growling during the film. He kept glancing over at him each time. And, of course, Hide had to act the part. He had to swallow down more popcorn than he was planning to. He hated popcorn more than most foods because the pieces got stuck easily, and the taste of charcoal stayed with them. After the movie ended, he told Kaneki he had to use the bathroom, and, as it turned out, so did Kaneki.

So, by the time they had reached the restaurant, Hide’s stomach was already lurching and threatening to give way. But he had to do his best. He tried to focus on the conversation, rather than the copious amounts of filth he forced himself to shove down his throat. He attempted to engage Kaneki, rather than following the urge to chug down his coffee. Coffee he ordered despite it being close to 9PM, explaining that he had a late night of studying ahead of him with a forced laugh.

Besides that, though, everything was perfect. Yes, besides the awkward conversation, the killer stomach ache, the oncoming buzz from his coffee, and the french fries that tasted like bile, everything was just as it should be. Hide decided that settling for looking normal on the outside would be good enough. It would be a win in his book.

After Kaneki finished his food and Hide forced down his, Kaneki footed the bill. Hide tried to slip in some money for a tip, but he was promptly yelled at for being so stubborn.

They gathered themselves up and left the restaurant, wandering into what was soon to be a cool night. _A perfect night for hunting. For an unsuspecting victim to wandering into the cool night air from a crowded bar. They would stumble away from the crowd and into a secluded street, where-_

“You…, are you seriously still hungry?”

What? Had his stomach growled again? _Damn you stomach,_ he thought, _and damn you, too, brain._

“Um,” Hide tried to think of an excuse, “No, no, sometimes, like, it takes a while for my body to get the memo that I ate.” He added in a nonchalant laugh to get the air of relaxation across.

“…Oh, I thought that only happened when you ate too fast. Weird.”

Hide didn’t know whether he was in the clear or not. Kaneki obviously thought that was a strange thing to say, but he dropped the subject. Hide decided to chalk it up as a slight victory, and steer away from the conversation.

“So, uh, tonight was…, really fun,” He said, in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Oh, um, yeah,” Kaneki ran a hand through his hair. “I had fun too.”

The rest of the walk home silent, but it wasn’t a bad thing. Maybe it was Kaneki’s full stomach, or maybe it was that Hide was focusing more on not puking everywhere. Either way, it wasn’t as awkward as one might expect, in Hide’s eyes anyway.

They parted ways with simple goodbyes, and Hide finished his trek home.

Once he got inside, he went straight for his bathroom and proceeded to empty his stomach.  He threw up until he was dry heaving, and he had popped blood vessels on his face, leaving small red splotches under the skin. They would be gone within the hour, but every time Hide looked in the mirror he looked like a ghastly version of himself. He looked tired, worn out, and weak.

Unfortunately for him, his night wasn’t over yet.

 

And that is how Hide ended up where he is now. Wandering around the slums of his district. Wearing an oversized hoodie and a face mask in a meager attempt to both conceal his face and not stand out. Watching every person he passed by and waiting for the right one to appear. He just hopes it’s soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, sorry for taking awhile to update. My motivation for this has been waxing and waning, but there are a couple ideas that I thought of recently that would work really well for this story, so I don't want to let myself burn out on it! I hope you guys liked this chapter!


	10. Chapter 10

“So you like American TV too? What’d’ya like?”

It’s a stormy night tonight. Sleet is coming down in droves, despite a weather prediction of a mostly clear night. It was even predicted that one might be able to see the stars.

“Ah, me? I like all kinds of things. Romance and comedy in particular.” A teapot breaks the hushed conversation with a high pitched whistle. A boy, a young adult, silences it and takes it from the stove. He pours the boiling water into two mugs, where it mixes with some instant coffee mix. It was dirt cheap, and wasn’t very good, but it did the trick for both waking up and sobering up. “There’s one show in particular I’ve been into lately, though.” He picks up the pair of mugs and brings them over to his small kitchen table where he place one at each seat.

His companion thanks him and takes a drink after blowing to cool it down. “Oh yeah? What’s that?” They say, words somewhat slurred.

The boy sits at his seat and hugs his mug in his hands for its warmth. “It’s called _My Strange Addiction._ Ever heard of it?” When his guest shakes their head, he continues. “It showcases a bunch of people with these weird compulsive behaviors. Sometimes it’s people who will eat all these weird things. It’s cool. Kinda reminds me of ghouls, y’know?”

“What? So they eat, like, people and stuff?” They stopped midway between a drink to root their attention on the boy.

He gives a light smile in response, “No, no, it’s nothing like that. It’s just, like, this one woman, would just eat bricks.”

“What? Bricks?” That doesn’t make any sense. She’d have no teeth!”  
            A soft chuckle, “I’m serious!”

            “Well, how does that even remind you of ghouls?”

            “It’s…,” There’s an air of somberness that fills the room as the boy starts to speak. “They know, I think, that they know that it’s wrong.” He looks down at his untouched coffee. “It’s just that they can’t help it.”

            “Of course they don’t think like that. _They’re monsters._ ”

            “How would you know? Why would you think that?”  
            “How would you?”

            “…yeah,” The boy holds back a sigh and forces a smile, “heh, true enough, I guess.”

            “You’re a werido, y’know that?” The visitor leans back in their chair, “Do you do this often? Invite drunks to your home, and then start debates with them?”  
            “More often than you’d think.”

            “Why, though?”

            “I get lonely.”

            A laugh. The companion leans forward and pinches their brow, “you really are a freak, kid.”

            “What about you? Why did you agree?”

            “’Cause it was rainin’ like hell!”

            “Don’t you get lonely, too?”

            “Well, yeah, but I ain’t gonna take it up with strangers!”

            “Aren’t you doing that now?”

            “I told ya, I’m taking shelter from the rain!”

            “It’s stopped.”

            “What?”                  

            “The rain stopped.”

            There’s a heavy silence as the pair listen to the weather outside. The boy is right, the sleet was gone as soon as it came.

            The visitor grinds their teeth, “You know what? Good.” They stand abruptly. “I’m leaving. Thanks for the shitty coffee, kid.”

            They turn on their heel and start towards the door, only to fall to the floor.

            No one speaks, the boy is well aware of what happened. His new friend is unconscious. He calmly stands and walks over to them, kneeling down.

            “I don’t understand people…,” He mutters, turning the limp body over onto its back. He stares at the person’s face on last time, taking in its every detail. He wants to remember it, even if he’ll hate himself for it in the future.

            Drawing up his strength from his tired and hungry body, He picks up the body with a quick one-two motion. The boy stumbles over to his small bathroom, where he deposits it in the bathtub. After, he begins to disrobe. His movements are mechanical in nature, rehearsed. He stripped down to his underwear, and did the same to his unconscious companion. The boy’s face was deadpanned all the while.

            Continuing on he goes through the visitor’s belongings on the floor until he finds what he’s looking for: a wallet. He opens it up and takes out the ID that is held within. The boy examines it, looking for three things in particular. Their name: He memorizes it, how it is spelled and matches it to the face. Their birthday: again, he memorizes it. And lastly, whether they are an organ donor. With a sigh of relief, the boy is pleased to find that, yes, he is.

            After this, he kneels down by the tub and claps his hands together. He sits in silence for a minute as he prays to no god in particular for this person’s easy passing into whatever awaits them after death.

            Then, with a bit more emotion than before, he reaches over the body and brings his mouth to their throat. With one swift bite, he cuts right into their jugular.


End file.
